The South Will Rise Again at BamaJam
Ronnie Gilley Entertainment’s Verizon Wireless BamaJam Music & Arts Festival is set for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 4 – 6 in Enterprise, AL. And with appearances from a star-studded list of artists including Taylor Swift, Kid Rock, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Randy Owen, Charlie Daniels, 38 Special, Gary Allan, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, John Anderson, Pat Green, Heidi Newfield, Jamey Johnson, Luke Bryan, Shooter Jennings, Randy Houser, Galactic, Drive By Truckers, Aaron Tippin, LoCash Cowboys, The Black Crowes, Los Lonely Boys and Robert Randolph, this festival is shaping up to be a kind of countrified Bonnaroo. Spread across 450 acres of Alabama countryside, the fields will be transformed into a community entertainment and recreation center. Complete scheduling and ticketing information is available here.
The Americana Music Association announced the nominees for the trade organization’s 2009 Honors and Awards ceremony today (5/20), at its annual celebration at BMI Nashville. The show, in its eighth year, will be held September 17 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Legendary Mandolin virtuoso Sam Bush, joined by rising star Phoebe Hunt, member of the Belleville Outfit, read the list of award candidates to a crowd of industry executives, artists and tastemakers.
Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn (aka Brooks & Dunn), and Dierks Bentley are this year’s recipients of the CMA International Artist Achievement Award for their contributions to country music overseas. They were presented the awards backstage at Sydney’s Acer Arena on May 6 during the final stop of their current Australian tour. The International Artist Achievement Awards were presented by CMA Board member Rob Potts, CEO of Rob Potts Entertainment Edge, and Australia’s No. 1 radio presenter, Ray Hadley from Radio 2GB.
Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles has been sidelined due to vocal problems. A press release from Keith Urban’s publicist today announced new opening acts for the Aussie superstar’s inaugural shows on his Escape Together World Tour in Uncasville, Connecticut. The news section of Sugarland’s website is reporting that Nettles “has received doctor’s orders to rest her voice for the next 10 days due to a viral tonsil condition.” Replacing Sugarland as Urban’s opening acts for these initial shows will be Jason Aldean and Little Big Town.
Though she’s been a regular (and intense) presence in Nashville’s many clubs and recording studios the whole time, it’s been eight long years since powerhouse vocalist Jonell Mosser has released an album of her own. That will change tomorrow (4/28) with the release of Trust Yourself, the singer’s debut record for the Better Angels label and her most fully realized solo release to date. Produced by Bil Vorn Dick and featuring songs from writers including Bob Dylan (the title cut), Michael McDonald and Kim Parent, the album also features Mosser’s blistering take on some of her own expertly crafted and emotionally riveting songs. Mosser will spend a busy day-of-release starting at radio station Lightning 100, where she will be featured live at noon live with Dan Buckley. From there Mosser will head to Grimey’s Preloved Music Grimey’s New & Preloved Music where she will do an instore performance. But the big celebration will take place on May 15 at Mosser’s home base at 3rd and Lindsley for an official record release party. The evening will double as a benefit for Second Harvest Food Bank and all are being encouraged to bring along can of food.
Speaking of new releases, Arista artist Jason Michael Carroll has got one, and it also drops tomorrow (4/28). Growing Up Is Getting Old reunites the “Alyssa Lied” singer with noted producer Don Gehman (Hootie & The Blowfish, John Mellencamp), who helmed Carroll’s debut disc, Waitin’ in the Country. That album debuted at No. 1 and produced two back-to-back Top 5 hits. The new album’s leadoff single is “Where I’m From,” which is already Top 20 and climbing. For more news, visit www.jasonmichaelcarroll.com.
Kix Brooks’ Arrington Vineyards will be hosting “Uncorked,” a lawn concert series featuring Etta James and the Roots Band on June 12 and ‘70s hit duo Loggins & Messina on September 6. Doors will open at 4:00 PM for James and at 3:00 PM for Loggins and Messina. Picnic fare may be brought to the event, and food and beverage will be available for purchase. No coolers or outside alcohol allowed. Tickets for both events are on sale now at ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. Tickets for this rain or shine event are $50.00.
And speaking of outdoor music, it doesn’t get any bigger or better than the CMA Music Festival and ABC Television will be there capturing all the action. CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock, will air on Monday, August 31. For the first time, the special will be three hours instead of two. This is the sixth time ABC will broadcast this special since the original Fan Fair® was launched in 1972. Last year’s Festival enjoyed its biggest-ever turnout, with more than 191,000 fans attending over its four days.
They’ve barely finished packing the tents and tearing down the stage and it’s already clear that this year’s Merlefest was as expansive and impressive as ever. Preliminary estimates show that over the festival’s four days (April 23-26) more than 70,000 music fans filled the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina for MerleFest 2009. With the exception of a Friday night squall, the weather was perfect, and despite the tough economy, attendance remained high, with Friday posting the fourth highest Friday numbers in the Festival’s history, and Saturday’s numbers approaching last year’s attendance figures.
Capitol artist Dierks Bentley is prepping this week for his first-ever Australian tour with superstar duo Brooks & Dunn beginning May 1 in Perth and continuing on to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane through May 9. Bentley will flank both ends of his Australian tour with stops in Los Angeles to perform his current single, “Sideways,” on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on April 28 and The Bonnie Hunt Show on May 14, followed by a trip to New York for a performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
Hollywood talent agency Paradigm, continuing its expansion into music, announced today (4/23) that it had bought Nashville-based Christian music booking firm Third Coast Artists Agency. The deal is the latest move by Beverly Hills-based Paradigm to increase its presence in the music sector through a series of low-key acquisitions. In the last five years, Paradigm has acquired Monterey Peninsula Artists and Little Big Man Booking, specialty talent boutiques with a niche in music. The move comes as a merger between rival talent agencies William Morris, which has a strong music department, and Endeavor moves closer. Co-founded in 1999 by Mike Snider and his wife, Lisa, Third Coast Artists Agency’s Christian music clients include MercyMe, Natalie Grant and Hawk Nelson. The firm’s 10 employees and 30 artists will move into Paradigm’s Nashville offices just off Music Row, which currently house a major part of Paradigm’s music business, alongside the agency’s offices in New York and Monterey. Financial terms were not disclosed. Music clients at Paradigm include Coldplay, the Black Eyed Peas and Toby Keith.